Fire-escape.



PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

T. TOSKEY. FIRE ESCAPE.

. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1ml noose:

No. 792,088. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

3?. TOSKEY. FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1904.

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31 won-tux Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS TOSKEY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE,

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,088, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed January 29, 1904. Serial No. 191,207.

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS TOSKEY, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a portable fire-escape adapted to fold into acompact-form and be carried on a truck, one part telescoping into another, and to be extended and elevated when in use.

My invention consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my fire-escape, the parts being extended and elevated. Fig. 2 is an end view, the parts being extended and elevated into position for use. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional detail view showing the arrangement of the cables and rollers. Fig. A is a plan view, parts being in section. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the manner in which the basket-cable is passed downward through the basket. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the top.

In the drawings, A represents a suitable wheeled truck having arranged thereon at each corner of the body of the truck standards A, and on the inner faces of these standards are formed vertical tongues A The upper ends of the standards at each end of the truck are connected by parallel cross pieces A which are arranged on the sides of the standards adjacent the tops, being spaced apart by the thickness of the standards. It will be obvious, therefore, that the standards A and the cross-pieces A are arranged in pairs, and between each pair of standards is a rectangular frame B, theside members of which are grooved to slide on the tongues A and are also formed with tongues B on their inner faces. This frame is adapted to be moved vertically between the standards and between the cross pieces A connected to the said standard.

Arranged between the members of each frame B is a vertically-movable upright C, grooved to slide on the tongues B and adapted to be moved vertically between the crosspieces B connecting the side members of the frame B. A platform C, arranged longitudinall y of the truck, is supported adjacent each end by the uprights C, and the uprights are also connected at their upper ends by a beam C arranged below and on the longitudinal axis of the platform. Horizontal brace-beams D connect the forward and rear standards A and extend slightly beyond them, as shown in Fig. 1. I

J ournaled in the ends of the truck-frame, both front and rear, are the rollers E, having suitable annular grooves formed thereon.

Journaled on the truck between the front and rear standards A is a winding-drum E and a guide-roller F, parallel to the rollers E and drum E. Above these rollers and the drum suitable blocksG are arranged transversely to the truck-frame, the blocks being reduced in thickness adjacent one end, as shown at G. Journaled in this reduced portion G are the ends of a roller H, having drum-sections adjacent each end.

Two cables parallel to each other are attached intermediate their ends to the winding-drum E, and these cables J run over the rollers E, working in the outer grooves, thence upward over pulley J, journaled in the outer bifurcated end portions of the beams D, and thence downwardly, being connected at their ends to eyes carried by the lower end portions of the side members of the frame B. A cable K is connected at each end to the lower end of one of the uprights C, passes over pulleys K, carried by the cross-pieces B thence over the center grooves of the rollers E, under the drum E, and over the guide-roller F, the cables J also passing over this guide-roller, which prevents sagging of the cables. To one end of the drum-roller shaft is secured a gear-wheel L, having a handle and meshing with a pinion L on an end of the guide-roller shaft, and a pawl L is adapted to engage the teeth of the gear-Wheel and lock same against reverse rotation.

In cut-out portions of the beam C are journaled pulleys M, in alinement with the drumsections of the roller H, which roller is provided at its rear end with a crank-handle H.

A cage or basket N is provided, comprising a bottom, end pieces, and a top cross-pieceN, connecting the end pieces, and awire-netting N forms the sides of the cage or basket. Extending upwardly through the bottom of this cage are metal tubes O, slightly inclined to clear the top piece N. Cables 0 are connected at their lower ends to the drum-sections of the roller H and pass upwardly through the tubes 0, over the pulleys M, and thence downwardly, being secured to the top piece N.

Arranged on the platform U is a supplemental platform P, vertically slotted and pivotally held to the platform C. The platform being held in place by a pivot-pin passing through the slot P, the platform P may be swung transverse to the platform G and is also adapted to slide on same, the slot limiting the sliding movement. Metal strips P are arranged along the sides of the supplemental platform P and extend beyond same, being curved to form hooks. Hooks are also pivoted to the upper portion of the frame B,

as shown at R in Fig. 2. These hooks are adapted to engage a window-sill, cornice, or the like and steady the device when elevated.

Rotation of the drum E and the winding of the cables J thereon will draw the frame B upward, carrying with it the pulley K, the operation at each end of the device being similar and simultaneous. The upward movement of the pulleys K, which are in engagement with the cable K, will impart an upward vertical movement to the uprights C relative to the movement of the frames B, and the parts will be extended until they are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The platform P can be swung around to either side and run out to engage a window ledge or sill, and the hooks R may also be put into use, as shown in Fig. 2, gripping a sill or cornice below that gripped by the hooks of the supplemental platform. By turning the crank-handle H and rotating the roller H the cageN may be run to the upper portion of the device and by reversing the rotation of the roller H permitted to descend, forming an elevator by which persons may be brought down from the upper portion of the [ire-escape. To enable them to pass from the platform 0 or from the supplemental platform P to the cage or to the ground, if desired, a rope ladder S is provided, one end of the ladder being secured to the platform C.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a truck, of a plurality of telescopic frames arranged thereon, means for extending and elevating said frames, a platform carried by the uppermost frame, pulley arranged below said platform, a roller having drum-sections arranged on the truck, a cage comprising bottom, side and top pieces, metal tubes extending through the bottom and upwardly through the cage, and cables secured at one end to the top piece of the cage, passed over the pulley and extended downwardly through the tubes, the said cables being secured to the drum-sections of the roller, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a lire-escape, a truck, standards arranged in pairs on said truck, slidable frames arranged between the standards of each pair,

uprights sliding in the frames, beams connecting the upper ends of the standards of each pair, pulleys carried by the beams, pulleys carried by the upper portions of the frames, rollers journaled at the ends of the trucks, a drum arranged between and parallel to the rollers, a guide-roller parallel to the drum, parallel cables secured intermediate their ends to the drum. and passing over the rollers and over the pulleys carried by the beams, and connected at their ends to the lower portions of the frames, a cable secured at its ends to the uprights, passing over the pulleys carried by the frames, over the rollers at the ends of the truck, under the drum and over the guideroller, and means for rotating the drum.

THOMAS TOSKEY. Witnesses:

SAM B. BOYD, J. N. MOORE. 

